The Gloriana Set

Gryffindor Party, Part II

"Oh, pardon me," Theo said with an easy smile for Ron. The Slytherin slid to a halt, his hand still on Hermione's waist. A ripple ran through the Gryffindor common room as people slowed and turned to watch. Even the bouncy music from the room's magical phonograph faded away.

"You stop that right now," Ron growled, ignoring the sudden audience.

"Yes, Theo, stop dancing with me and being polite to my friends," Hermione said.

Ron's eyes narrowed. "Oh, Theo, is it?"

"That's right." Theo looked him up and down, unimpressed. "And you're Rick, right? Rob? Roy!"

Hermione giggled again (that firewhiskey really was some kind of strong) and Ron pulled out his wand.

"Now, mate, let's not ..." Theo began, his smile a little set.

"You're leaving, Theo," Ron said.

Theo released Hermione and moved in front of her, slipping a hand into his suit coat. Hermione rolled her eyes and stepped in front of Theo again. She pulled out her wand and pointed it at her ex-boyfriend.

"He is not leaving and perhaps you'd like to duel me, Ronald," she said.

"Hermione!"

She didn't move. "Yes?"

"I ... I ..." Ron carelessly waved his wand, prompting two Gryffindors to abandon their drunken game of wizarding chess to scuttle out of the way. The room was so silent that Hermione could hear the board's tiny black Queen shouting at them to return. Ron stepped closer. "Hermione!"

"When will you learn, Ron—repeating a woman's name won't make her do what you want," she snapped.

"It works for me," said Zabini, who had materialized behind Theo.

"Shut up, Blaise," she heard Ginny say.

"Well, it does."

"Really, Hermione?" Ron asked, glaring at Theo. "That's what you're going to start with? A Slytherin? Why don't you just snog the Death Eater?"

"Inter-House unity, after all," she heard Malfoy say brightly.

"That's it," Ron snarled. He threw aside his wand and lunged sideways at Malfoy, swinging a fist. Malfoy dodged him with a deft movement, only to face Dennis Creevey. The small Gryffindor now stood beside the staircase, his feet planted wide and wand up.

"Stup—!" Dennis' voice was cut off mid-hex as he was flung off his feet, crashing into the wall behind him. Hermione ran and knelt beside the Fifth Year as he groggily sat up. Even Ron was frozen in shock.

"Dennis, what were you thinking?" she scolded. "You shouldn't even be here!"

"That fucking Death Eater threw me!" Dennis gasped, glaring at Malfoy from under his dark bangs.

"Nonsense," Hermione said. "He didn't even have his wand out. Can you move your arms?"

"Well, something—"

"All right, everybody, that's enough!" Ginny shouted, sounding eerily like Molly Weasley. "Ron, Dennis, Malfoy ... all three of you will behave or you'll leave this party now!"

Dennis stood up, pulling his arm from Hermione's grasp. "Fine," he spat. "Like I'd want to stay here with a lot of twisted Pureblood bitches and assholes—"

"That's enough, Dennis," Hermione said calmly.

Dennis' sneer reminded her of Malfoy's at the same age. "Oh yes, you're having right good time flirting with snakes, aren't you, Hermione? Easy to forget, is it?"